As hair growth stimulants, there have been disclosed a hair growth promoting composition (JP-B-2-2852; the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication") comprising at least one substance selected from cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamyl alcohol esters, cinnamic acid and cinnamate compounds; and a hair growth stimulant (JP-B-3-844) which comprises 4,6,6-trimethylbicyclo(3.1.1)-hepten-3-one-2 as an active ingredient and capronium chloride, vitamin E nicotinate, benzyl nicotinate or the like used in combination as a blood circulation promoter (skin peripheral vasodepressor). It has been disclosed that since the latter one has inhibitory action against the formation of testosterone, which is a causative agent of excessive accumulation of androgen which will lead to physiological symptoms such as male pattern baldness and seborrhea, due to a reductase of 5.alpha.-dihydrotestosterone, it is able to reduce or prevent such symptoms.
It has already been reported that p-menthane-3,8-diol to be used in the present invention is a substantially odorless compound which is contained in full-grown lemon eucalyptus in a small amount (Phytochemistry, 23, 12, 2777(1984)).
It has been reported that p-menthane-3,8-diol heightens odor spreading and odor lasting properties (JP-A-4-337395; the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application) and it is effective as a repellent of noxious organisms (JP-B-3-80138), but there has no report on its effects of accelerating percutaneous absorption, thereby enhancing hair growth.
As a percutaneous absorption promoter containing a terpene, the following have been disclosed: a percutaneous absorption promoter (JP-A-6-48962) comprising a narcotic and/or non-narcotic analgesic and a terpene and/or an essential oil; and a percutaneous absorptive preparation for analgesic use (JP-A-9-143061), which contains, as a terpene, a hydrocarbon-based monoterpene such as limonene, a monoterpene alcohol such as 1-menthol, terpineol or borneol, a monoterpene aldehyde such as citral, a monoterpene ketone such as ionone or another monoterpene such as ceneole and/or, as an essential oil, mentha oil, peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil which is composed mainly of a terpene.
In addition, a percutaneous absorption preparation has been disclosed (JP-A-5-201879) which comprises triethylene glycol; and a terpene, for example, a monoterpene alcohol such as linalool, citronellol, geraniol, nerol, menthol, terpineol, carveol, thujyl alcohol, pinocampheol, cineole, dimethyl octanol, hydroxy citronellol, tetralinalool, muguol (produced by IFF), myrcenol or isopulegol or isomers thereof, a sesquiterpene alcohol such as farnesol, nerolidol, lanceol, santalol or vetivenol or optical or steric isomers thereof, nopol or bornyl methoxycyclohexanol and/or an essential oil, for example, bay oil, peppermint oil, orange oil, turpentine oil, lemon oil, hops oil, basil oil, evodia fruit oil, bitter orange peel oil, sweet orange oil, pine oil, camphor oil, zanthoxylum fruit oil, coriander oil, elemi oil, gingergrass oil, eucalyptus oil, fennel oil, chenopodium oil, Cinnamomum kanahirai oil, fragrant olive oil, savin oil, Chamaecyperis obtusa oil, orange flower oil, cymbopogon georingil oil, Japanese valerian oil, sandal wood oil, myrrh essential oil, ginger oil, turmeric oil, cedar wood oil, hinoki oil, celery seed essential oil, schisandra fruit oil, clove oil, cinnamon oil, geranium oil, lavender oil, rosemary oil, pepper oil, ylang--ylang oil, Kananga oil, perilla oil, patchouli oil, vetiver oil, spearmint oil or anise oil. As a medicament to be orally administered, dantrolene sodium, ketoprofen, diclofenac sodium or flurbiprofen is also disclosed.
Various compounds and extracts of a crude drug which have been conventionally known as a hair growth composition are employed as a hair growth stimulant. As a matter of fact, however, they do not always exhibit good effects for the hair growth, because conditions of the hair vary from person to person. Even if the hair growth composition is effective to some extent, it involves defects such as difficulty in continuous use because effects of epispastic or the like. The above-described percutaneous absorptive compositions permit the exhibition of hair growth promoting effects by transferring the medicament, which has been percutaneously administered as a liquid formulation, cream or ointment, to the necessary site, but they are not satisfactory.